Less than an hour after he was sworn in to replace District 2 Henry County Board member Kippy Nelson, Donald DeDobbe-laere of Orion was denied the chairmanship of the Public Safety Committee by a vote of 12 to 8.

The vote to approve DeDobbe-laere’s appointment to the county board passed 16 to 3 with members Tom May, Jim Findley and Jim Kursock voting no.

The board approved DeDobbe-laere’s appointment to the Public Safety Committee on a voice vote. But before the board could vote on DeDobbelaere’s appointment as chairman of the committee, Kursock asked to make a comment.

“I’d like to inform you that chairman Wells asked me to accept the chairmanship,” Kursock said. “I responded yes.”

He noted his 28 years of law enforcement experience and almost 19 years as a part of the Public Safety Committee. Kursock said he did not know what happened since a week or so ago Wells asked him to be the chairman.

“My opinion on that is, if this is the way things are going to go, then he’s two-faced to me,” Kursock said.

Wells replied that he wasn’t aware who Nelson’s replacement was going to be at the time of the dismissal of the last county board meeting, and that it was his prerogative to put the best person in the chairmanship position. He added that only one nominee was given, and “the other political party did not submit a name.”

Wells said he believed DeDobbe-laere would have the best working relationship with the current sheriff. “That’s my ground that I’m going to stand on in regards to that,” Wells said.

When Kursock began a reply, member Roger Gradert attempted to call on the chairman when Kursock told him to shut up. Wells called point of order, the roll call vote was taken and the motion failed.

In other business:

The board heard a presentation from Denise Bulat, executive director of Bi-State Regional Commission. Bi-State is a voluntary consortium of local governments that serves Henry, Mercer and Rock Island counties in Illinois and Scott and Muscatine counties in Iowa. There are approximately 47 active member governments on their board.

Member Karen Urick told the board that the state is behind three months in their payment to Hillcrest Home, for a total of $335,799. Urick said the RNs and LPNs have voted to join AFSCME, and they are awaiting certification from the Labor Board.

Interviews will be given to four applicants for the administrator position due to the upcoming retirement of Mary Bergren. Her retirement will be effective at the end of this year.

Urick informed the board of the retirement of Gail Ripka of the Henry County Health Department, effective in April, 2014.